Time Magazine’s Breastfeeding Cover: Give It A Rest Already

A few weeks ago the $200kfreelancer covered the Ann Romney chapter of the Mommy Wars in The Mommy Wars: A Pacifist View. This is an issue close to our hearts because both Elaine and I left the corporate life for the freelance life in large measure because we wanted to stay home with our children.

Not surprisingly, the media is reviving this thread of conversation with gusto. The New York Times has a lively thread of debate covering the book The Conflict: How Modern Motherhood Undermines The Status of Women. And I’m sure you’ve seen the flap over the Time magazine cover that shows a 3-almost-4-year-old breastfeeding.

The conversation has turned, not just into a debate about how to balance home and work, but a debate about the perfect woman. What percent mother, career woman, wife makes up the perfect woman — and does she have to get her nails done too?

Most women I know strive to reach an ideal of perfection, created not only by the media but by their own expectations of themselves. Most men I know just look at the world around them and decide they’re doing just about as well as the next guy, and that’s OK.

Women need to give themselves and each other a break. As Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Erin Gianopoulos wrote on The New York Times blog:

I think the goal of this discussion should not be to encourage women to take one road or the other, or to defend your own choices. It should be to make all roads and all choices accessible in some way to all mothers.

I nursed both my children while I was working — often while I was interviewing someone or typing. No doubt I did a less-than-perfect job of both the nursing and the interview. I’m happy I accomplished both.

Part of what we want to do at 200kfreelancer is offer our support for all the different alternative career paths available to people who want more than just the strictly corporate life. No judgements here — we’re happy to help you find the path that’s right for you.

What a perfect conclusion in the last paragraph of this blog, Elizabeth. What better gift can any of us give another person than to help that person to find her niche? What a lovely offer! I’m convinced we all have our own niche because each of us is unique. I think it would be grand progress if we all had at least a little desire to support each other in a positive way, as you suggest, speaking for 200Kfreelancer. Best wishes!